Coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device and method

ABSTRACT

A coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device includes a housing, a micro-processing unit, an image-capturing unit, a light-emitting unit, and a displaying unit. The housing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end with an accommodating space existing between the first end and the second end. The second end is disposed to surround a group of coffee beans under measurement. The micro-processing unit and the image-capturing unit are disposed inside the accommodating space and electrically connected to each other. The light-emitting unit is disposed inside the accommodating space and includes at least one light emitter and a circuit board electrically connected to the light emitter. The circuit board is further electrically connected to the micro-processing unit and each of the light emitter has a light emitting port facing toward the second end. The display unit is disposed on the first end and electrically connected to the micro-processing unit to display a measured roasting-degree distribution curve.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a measuring device and particularly toa coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device and method.

BACKGROUND

Many people have the habit of drinking coffee, and the flavor of coffeeitself is believed to be related to the coffee bean roasting-degreevariation. In order to taste coffee beans with differentroasting-degrees, it is necessary to distinguish the roasting-degreedifference between the coffee beans used to make the coffee, therefore,how to measure the coffee bean roasting-degree became a technical issuein the relevant technical field.

However, the currently used machines and devices for measuring theroasting-degree of the coffee beans can only measure a singleroasting-degree of a group of coffee beans. In this way, the measuredsingle roasting-degree is not enough to differentiate theroasting-degree difference in the group of coffee beans. Also, anotherone of the concerned issues is how to represent the roasting-degreedifference and allow the discriminator to directly receive theinformation of the measurement.

SUMMARY

In view of the above issues, this application proposes a coffee beanroasting-degree measuring device, which can measure the roasting-degreedistribution of the coffee beans under measurement. The device not onlymakes the coffee bean's roasting degree determination more precise, butalso allows the discriminator to directly receive the information ofroasting-degree distribution.

In one embodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device contains a housing, a micro-processing unit, animage-capturing unit, a memory-unit, a light-emitting unit and adisplaying unit. The housing contains a first end, a second end oppositethe first end, and an accommodating space disposed between the first endand second end. The second end has an opening to surround a group ofcoffee beans under measurement when the measuring device is inoperation. The micro-processing unit and the image-capturing unit aredisposed inside the accommodating space and electrically connected witheach other. The memory-unit is disposed inside the accommodating spaceand electronically connected to the micro-processing unit and theimage-capturing unit. The light-emitting unit is disposed inside theaccommodating space and contains at least one light emitter and acircuit board electrically connected to the light emitter, the circuitboard is electrically connected to the micro-processing unit, and thelight emitter has a light emitting port facing toward the second end.The displaying unit has a screen and is disposed on the first end and iselectrically connected to the micro-processing unit. The light emitterof the light emitting unit projects light onto the group of coffee beansunder measurement when the micro-processing unit sends a first instructsignal to the light emitting unit; the image-capturing unit captures animage of a light-projected surface of the coffee beans under measurementand the memory unit stores an optical signal value of each pixel of thecaptured image when the micro-processing unit sends a second instructsignal to the image-capturing unit; the optical signal value of eachpixel of the captured image is converted by the micro-processing unitinto a roasting-degree when the micro-processing unit sends a thirdinstruct signal to the memory unit; and the displaying unit presents aroasting-degree distribution curve reflecting all of theroasting-degrees on the screen when the micro-processing unit sends afourth instruct signal to the displaying unit.

In one embodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device presents a two-dimensional roasting-degree distributioncurve defined in an axis by the roasting-degrees and in another axis bya coffee bean amount ratio corresponding to the roasting-degrees.

In one embodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device presents a three-dimensional roasting-degreedistribution curve reflecting the roasting-degrees corresponding to eachpixel position of the group of coffee beans.

In one embodiment, the displaying unit further presents one of astandard deviation and a coefficient of variation of theroasting-degrees of the group of coffee beans.

In one embodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device further has a measure start button disposed on thehousing and electrically connected to the micro-processing unit, whereinonly a press of the measure start button triggers the micro-processingto send one of the first instruct signal, the second instruct signal,the third signal, and the fourth signal.

In one embodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device further has a power supply unit disposed inside theaccommodating unit and electrically connected to the micro-processingunit to provide the micro-processing unit with an electrical power.

In one embodiment, the micro-processing unit has a pixel luminanceresolving unit and a roasting-degree converting unit electricallyconnected to the pixel luminance resolving unit, the pixel luminanceresolving unit converts the optical signal value of each pixel of thecaptured image of the light-projected surface into an electrical signalvalue, and the roasting-degree converting unit converts the convertedelectrical signal value into one of the roasting-degrees.

This application also proposes a coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring method in another aspect. The proposed methodcontains the following steps: projecting light onto a group of coffeebeans under measurement; capturing an image of a light-projected surfaceof the group of coffee beans under measurement and storing an opticalsignal value of each pixel of the captured image; converting the opticalsignal value of each pixel of the captured image into a correspondingroasting-degree; and presenting a roasting-degree distribution curvereflecting all of the roasting-degrees on a screen.

In one embodiment, the roasting-degree distribution curve is defined inan axis by the roasting-degrees and in another axis by a coffee beanamount ratio corresponding to the roasting-degrees.

In one embodiment, the roasting-degree distribution curve reflects theroasting-degrees corresponding to each pixel position of the group ofcoffee beans.

In conclusion, based on the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device and method, not only a single roasting-degree of agroup of coffee beans or grounded coffee powders can be measured, butalso the roasting-degree variance or the roasting-degree distributionbetween each coffee bean in the group of coffee beans or between eachparticle in the grounded coffee powders can be measured, furthermore,the roasting uniformity can be obtained based on a dispersion, astandard deviation or a coefficient of variation of the roasting-degreesof the coffee beans or the grounded coffee powders, which allows a moreprecise roasting-degree variance determination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The following detailed descriptions, given by way of example, and notintended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will be best beunderstood in conjunction with the accompanying figures:

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional perspective view schematically showing acoffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device according toan embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a systematic structure schematically showing the coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring device in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a function block diagram of the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device in FIG. 1

FIG. 3B is a function block diagram of the micro-processing unit of thecoffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring method according to an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the two-dimensional roasting-degreedistribution curve measured by the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device according to an embodiment in thisinvention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional roasting-degreedistribution curve measured by the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device according to an embodiment in thisinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional perspective view schematically showing acoffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device according toan embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a systematic structureschematically showing the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in oneembodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuringdevice 1 contains a housing 11, a micro-processing unit 12, animage-capturing unit 13, a memory unit 14, a light-emitting unit 15 anda display unit 16. The housing 11 contains a first end 111 and a secondend 112 with the first end 111 and the second end 112 being opposite andan accommodating space 113 being disposed between the first end 111 andthe second end 112. |The first end 111 can be a closed end which is notopened to the outside. The second end 112 is formed with an opening 1121connecting the outside and allowing the roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device 1 to surround a group of coffee beans 2 undermeasurement through the opening 1121 while in operation. Themicro-processing unit 12, the image-capturing unit 13 and the memoryunit 14 are all disposed inside the accommodating space 113. Theimage-capturing unit 13 and the micro-processing unit 12 areelectrically connected with each other, the memory unit 14 iselectrically connected to the micro-processing unit 12 and theimage-capturing unit 13. The light emitting unit 15 is disposed insidethe accommodating space 113 and has one or more than one light emitter151 and a circuit board 152. The circuit board 152 and the lightemitters 151 are electrically connected, and the circuit board 152 isalso connected with the micro-processing unit 12. Each light emitter 151contains one light source capable of emitting a specific wavelength,such as LED light source, and has a light emitting port 1511 facingtoward the second end 112. As shown in FIG. 1, in one embodiment, atleast four light emitters 151 are disposed along the surroundings of theimage-capturing unit 13. The displaying unit 16 contains a screen 161and is disposed on one surface of the first end 111 and electricallyconnected with the micro-processing unit 12. As shown in FIG. 1, in oneembodiment, the coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuringdevice 1 also contains a power supply unit 17 disposed inside theaccommodating space 113 and electrically connected to themicro-processing unit 12, the image-capturing unit 13, thelight-emitting unit 15 and the displaying unit 16 to provide electricityrespectively required in operation for the micro-processing unit 12, theimage-capturing unit 13, the light-emitting unit 15 and the displayingunit 16. The power supply unit 17 can provide direct-current oralternate current power and can be batteries when used to providedirect-current power.

FIG. 3A is a function block diagram of the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device in FIG. 1. FIG. 3B is a function blockdiagram of the micro-processing unit of the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device in FIG. 3A. As shown in FIG. 3A, themicro-processing unit 12 sends instruct signals to the image-capturingunit 13, the memory unit 14, the light emitting unit 15 and thedisplaying unit 16 respectively, which means the micro-processing unit12 may collectively or individually instruct the displaying unit 13, thememory unit 14, the light emitting unit 15 and the displaying unit 16 toprocess corresponding tasks. In one embodiment, when themicro-processing unit 12 sends a first instruct signal 901 to the lightemitting unit 15, the light emitter 151 projects light onto a group ofcoffee beans 2 located near the second end 112 under measurement. Whenthe micro-processing unit 12 sends a second instruct signal 902 to theimage-capturing unit 13, an image of the illuminated surface of thecoffee beans 2 under measurement will be captured by the image-capturingunit 13, and an optical signal value 100, such as light intensity, ofall the pixels of the captured image will be stored separately insidethe memory unit 14. When the micro-processing unit 12 sends a thirdinstruct signal 903 to the memory unit 14, the optical signal value 100of each pixel of the captured image of the light-projected surfacestored inside the memory unit 14 may be converted separately into aroasting-degree 300 by the micro-processing unit 12 and theroasting-degree 300 may also be stored inside the memory unit 14. Whenthe micro-processing unit 12 sends a fourth instruct signal 904 to thedisplaying unit 16, the displaying unit 16 may present a roasting-degreedistribution curve reflecting all of the roasting-degrees 300 storedinside the memory unit 14 on the screen 161.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3A, in one embodiment, the coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring device 1 may further contain ameasure start button 18 disposed on the housing 11 and electricallyconnected to the micro-processing unit 12. Only when a user presses themeasure start button 18, the micro-processing 12 will be triggered tocollectively or individually send the first instruct signal 901, thesecond instruct signal 902, the third instruct signal 903 and/or thefourth instruct signal 904. In one embodiment, the coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring device 1 may also contain a powerswitch 19 disposed on the housing 11 and electrically connected with themicro-processing unit 12. Only when the power switch 19 is switched tothe on mode, the electrical connection between the power supply unit 17,the micro-processing unit 12, the image-capturing unit 13, the lightemitting unit 15 and the displaying unit 16 will be conducted.

FIG. 3B is a function block diagram of the micro-processing unit of thecoffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device in FIG. 3A. Asshown in FIG. 3B, in one embodiment, the micro-processing unit 12 of thecoffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device 1 may containa pixel luminance resolving unit 121 and a roasting-degree convertingunit 122. The pixel luminance resolving unit 121 and the roasting-degreeconverting unit 122 are electrically connected to each other. The pixelluminance resolving unit 121 works to convert the optical signal value100 of each pixel of the captured image of the light-projected surfacestored inside the memory unit 14 into an electrical signal value, suchas a voltage or a current, and the pixel luminance resolving unit 121may be implemented as a converter that converts an optical signal to anelectrical signal. The roasting-degree converting unit 122 works toapply a calculation procedure, such as an algorithm, to the convertedelectrical signal values 200 and convert the converted electrical signalvalues 200 into the roasting-degree 300.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring method according to an embodiment of this invention. As shownin FIG. 4, in one embodiment, a coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring method implemented on the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device as disclosed in FIG. 1 has the followingsteps:

Step 101: Projecting light onto a group of coffee beans undermeasurement. For example, the light emitter 151 as shown in FIG. 1 maybe used to project a light onto a group of coffee beans 2 undermeasurement, where the light emitter 151 may contain LED light sources.

Step 102: Capturing an image of the light-projected surface of the groupof coffee beans under measurement and storing optical signal values ofall the pixels of the captured image. For example, the image-capturingunit 13 as disclosed in FIG. 1 may be used to capture the image of thelight-projected surface of the group of coffee beans under measurement,and the memory unit 14 as disclosed in FIG. 1 may be used to separatelystore the optical signal values of all the pixels of the captured image.

Step 103: Converting the stored optical signal values of all the pixelsof the captured image of the light-projected surface into correspondingroasting-degrees. For example, the pixel luminance resolving unit 121 ofthe micro-processing unit 12 as disclosed in FIG. 3B may be used toconvert the optical signal values 100 into electrical signal values 200.After that, the roasting-degree converting unit 122 of themicro-processing unit 12 as disclosed in FIG. 3B may be used toimplement a calculation procedure and convert the converted electricalsignal values 200 into roasting-degrees 300.

Step 104: Presenting a roasting-degree distribution curve reflecting allthe roasting-degrees on a screen. For example, the micro-processing unit12 as disclosed in FIG. 1 may be used to instruct the displaying unit 16as disclosed in FIG. 1 to present the roasting-degree distribution curvereflecting all the roasting-degrees on the screen 161 of the displayingunit 16.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the two-dimensional roasting-degreedistribution curve measured by the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device according to an embodiment in thisinvention. As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, a measuredtwo-dimensional roasting-degree distribution curve 501 is defined by theroasting-degrees in an axis, such as the transverse axis, and the coffeebean amounts or the coffee bean amounts ratios corresponding to eachroasting-degree in the other axis, such as the longitudinal axis.According to international convention, the roasting-degrees may rangefrom 5 to 100. From the two-dimensional roasting-degree distributioncurve, one can easily obtain the roasting-degree variance of a group ofcoffee beans under measurement and therefore clearly distinguish thecolor depth of the roasted coffee beans.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional roasting-degreedistribution curve measured by the coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring device according to an embodiment in thisinvention. As shown in FIG. 6, in another embodiment, a measuredthree-dimensional roasting-degree distribution curve 502 is defined byan X coordinate axis, a Y coordinate axis and a Z coordinated axis,where the X coordinate axis is used to represent one horizontalcomponent of a position of each coffee bean, the Y coordinate axis isused to represent the other one horizontal component of the position ofeach coffee bean, while the Z coordinate axis is used to represent theroasting-degree corresponding to the position of each coffee bean. Inother words, the roasting-degree distribution curve 502 reflects thecoffee bean roasting-degrees corresponding to each pixel position. Fromthis distribution curve, one can easily obtain the roasting-degreevariance of more than one group of coffee beans put at differentlocations under measurement, and furthermore determine theroasting-degree of each group of coffee beans put at differentlocations. For example, when two groups of coffee beans are put indifferent locations, the measured roasting-degree variance correspondingto different locations can be used to compare out which group of coffeebeans was deeply roasted.

In conclusion, based on the coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device and method disclosed in this application, not only asingle roasting-degree of a group of coffee beans or grounded coffeepowders can be measured, but also the roasting-degree variance or theroasting-degree distribution between each coffee bean in the group ofcoffee beans or between each coffee particle in the grounded coffeepowders can be measured, furthermore, the roasting uniformity of thegroup of coffee beans or the grounded coffee powders can be obtained bycomparing the measured roasting-degrees of the group of coffee beans orthe grounded coffee powders with a roasting-degree reference and findingout an amount of the coffee beans or the coffee particles with higher orlower roasting-degrees or calculating out the roasting-degree dispersionof the coffee beans or the grounded coffee powders, and displaying theroasting uniformity on the screen 161 of the displaying unit 16. In thiscase, a user can precisely and directly know the roasting depthdifference. For example, measurement of a standard deviation or acoefficient of variation of the roasting-degrees of a group of coffeebeans may be a base to know the roasting depth of that group of coffeebeans, and the measured standard deviation or the measured coefficientof variation may be displayed on the screen 161 of the display unit 16.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms ofthe preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it isintended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (aswould be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope ofthe appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation toencompass all such modifications and similar arrangement.

1. A coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device,comprising: a housing having a first end, a second end opposite thefirst end, and an accommodating space disposed between the first end andthe second end, the second end being formed with an opening to surrounda group of coffee beans under measurement when the measuring device isin operation; a micro-processing unit disposed inside the accommodatingspace; an image-capturing unit disposed inside the accommodating spaceand electrically connected to the micro-processing unit; a memory unitdisposed inside the accommodating space and electrically connected tothe micro-processing unit and the image-capturing unit; a light emittingunit being disposed inside the accommodating space and having at leastone light emitter and a circuit board electrically connected to thelight emitter, the circuit board being electrically connected to themicro-processing unit, the light emitter having a light emitting portfacing toward the second end; and a displaying unit having a screen andbeing disposed on the first end and electrically connected to themicro-processing unit; wherein the light emitter of the light emittingunit projects light onto the group of coffee beans under measurementwhen the micro-processing unit sends a first instruct signal to thelight emitting unit; the image-capturing unit captures an image of alight-projected surface of the coffee beans under measurement and thememory unit stores an optical signal value of each pixel of the capturedimage when the micro-processing unit sends a second instruct signal tothe image-capturing unit; the optical signal value of each pixel of thecaptured image is converted by the micro-processing unit into aroasting-degree when the micro-processing unit sends a third instructsignal to the memory unit; and the displaying unit presents aroasting-degree distribution curve reflecting all of theroasting-degrees on the screen when the micro-processing unit sends afourth instruct signal to the displaying unit.
 2. The coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring device of claim 1, wherein theroasting-degree distribution curve is defined in an axis by theroasting-degrees and in another axis by a coffee bean amount ratiocorresponding to the roasting-degrees.
 3. The coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring device of claim 1, wherein theroasting-degree distribution curve reflects the roasting-degreescorresponding to each pixel position of the group of coffee beans. 4.The coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device of claim1, wherein the displaying unit further presents one of a standarddeviation and a coefficient of variation of the roasting-degrees of thegroup of coffee beans.
 5. The coffee bean roasting-degree distributionmeasuring device of claim 1, further comprising a measure start buttondisposed on the housing and electrically connected to themicro-processing unit, wherein only a press of the measure start buttontriggers the micro-processing to send one of the first instruct signal,the second instruct signal, the third signal, and the fourth signal. 6.The coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device of claim1, further comprising a power supply unit disposed inside theaccommodating unit and electrically connected to the micro-processingunit to provide the micro-processing unit with an electrical power. 7.The coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring device of claim1, wherein the micro-processing unit has a pixel luminance resolvingunit and a roasting-degree converting unit electrically connected to thepixel luminance resolving unit, the pixel luminance resolving unitconverts the optical signal value of each pixel of the captured image ofthe light-projected surface into an electrical signal value, and theroasting-degree converting unit converts the converted electrical signalvalue into one of the roasting-degrees.
 8. A coffee bean roasting-degreedistribution measuring method, comprising: projecting light onto a groupof coffee beans under measurement; capturing an image of alight-projected surface of the group of coffee beans under measurementand storing an optical signal value of each pixel of the captured image;converting the optical signal value of each pixel of the captured imageinto a corresponding roasting-degree; and presenting a roasting-degreedistribution curve reflecting all of the roasting-degrees on a screen.9. The coffee bean roasting-degree distribution measuring method ofclaim 8, wherein the roasting-degree distribution curve is defined in anaxis by the roasting-degrees and in another axis by a coffee bean amountratio corresponding to the roasting-degrees.
 10. The coffee beanroasting-degree distribution measuring method of claim 8, wherein theroasting-degree distribution curve reflects the roasting-degreescorresponding to each pixel position of the group of coffee beans.